9/6 LIVE IMPACT WRESTLING RECAP

Join the Starman as he covers Impact Wrestling live as it happens from the Impact Zone in Orlando, FL.

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Impact Wrestling opens with a recap of last week’s events, including the return of Eric Young, the three BFG Series matches that took place, and the TNA roster banding together to take on Aces & Eights. We then head into the Impact Zone where the pyro is going off and the announce team hypes tonight’s card that will feature two final BFG Series matches, which will decide who will be in the final four.

A Bound for Glory Series video package is aired that focuses on James Storm earning a spot in the final four. Tonight Jeff Hardy will take on Samoa Joe and Bully Ray squares off against RVD to fight for the final three spots. The wrestlers give their thoughts on competing in the series as the voiceover guy wonders which one’s quest will end tonight. The BFG Leaderboard is shown as we head into the first BFG Series match of the night.

Match 1: Jeff Hardy vs. Samoa Joe (Bound for Glory Series Match)
The announce team talk about Joe’s submission background and how he can walk out on top with a win tonight. The bell rings and the two feel each other out in the opening moments as the crowd is split between the two. Joe manages to take Hardy down with a shoulder block as Hardy rolls out to the floor to regroup and is holding his shoulder. James Storm is seen watching the match in the back as Joe begins to work over Hardy in the corner. Joe then dumps Hardy out to the floor and follows him out to deliver more punishment. Hardy is able to turn the tide and sends Joe into the steel steps before using the steps as a springboard to take Joe out near the guard railing as we head into a commercial break.

We return to the match to see Joe has regained control of the match and has Hardy laid out on the mat. Joe goes for a pin fall but Hardy kicks out at two. Joe continues wearing Hardy down and sends him crumbling to the mat with a kick to the head for another near fall. Hardy tries to fight back but Joe takes him down with a snap slam for yet another near fall. The fans begin to rally behind Hardy as Joe is showing signs of frustration. Hardy hits Joe with a few clotheslines and follows with an inverted atomic drop and leg drop for a near fall over Joe. Hardy then connects with a jawbreaker and heads to the top rope, but Joe gets up. Hardy drops to the mat and tries for a Twist of Fate but Joe counters with a rear naked choke. Hardy escapes and hits Joe with the Whisper in the Wind and follows with a Twist of Fate. Hardy then locks Joe in a submission hold and makes Joe tap out to earn 10 points for the submission victory and ends the great match between the two.

A video package on Aces & Eights is aired and shows the battle between the two sides that ended Impact Wrestling last week. Austin Aries meets up with Hulk Hogan in the backstage area and Aries is sick of Aces & Eights and says it has gone on too far. Hogan says the little guy who attacked him last week was on the camera crew and says that guy will be here and wants Aries to make him talk to see who is behind everything. Hogan says if he can’t get him to talk, to break his legs and make him spill his guts old school style.

After a commercial break, Christy Hemme is with Samoa Joe as Magnus comes out before Joe can say a word. Magnus says he wants to clear the air and explain himself. Magnus says he lost his temper after their match a few weeks ago because he was upset over them having a tag team and Joe throwing it all away by making mistakes. Magnus says he is going to be the better man and walk away but as he leaves, he turns around and levels Joe.

Hulk Hogan is in a room full of tag teams and wants to find a suitable team who should get a shot at the Tag Team Champions. Robbie E. and Robbie T. think they are the best athletes in the room and they have never gotten an opportunity. Kid Kash & Gunner think they deserve it because the rest of the teams are weak. Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez don’t get an opportunity to talk as AJ Styles walks in and says he deserves a shot so he can get a bit of revenge. Hogan makes a quick decision and eliminates Styles from the competition.

Brooke Hogan is backstage with Tara and says she kicked butt after Miss Tessmacher called her out. Brooke then puts Tara in a match this Sunday for the Knockouts Championship as Gail Kim walks in and wants to know why she is getting passed over for eye candy. Brooke says if Gail wants a match she can go up against Tara tonight and the two talk a little trash as we head into a commercial break.

Match 2: Gail Kim vs. Tara
Taryn Terrell is the referee assigned to this Knockouts match. The bell rings and Gail quickly takes Tara down with a arm drag and a drop kick. Tara comes back and takes Gail down with an arm drag and a back drop. Gail recovers and takes control of the match picks up a two count over Tara. Gail continues on the attack until Tara counters with a slam. Tara then drops Gail with a series of clotheslines and picks up a near fall after a delayed vertical suplex. Gail then trips up Tara and hangs her on the middle rope and she heads to the top rope. Tara cuts her off, though, and hits the Widow’s Peak to pick up the pin fall.

A video package highlighting Joey Ryan and his time in TNA Gut Check and how he has set his sights on the Gut Check judges, namely Taz and Al Snow. Snow is seen walking in the backstage area and is on his way to the ring as we head into a commercial break.

Al Snow is in the ring and says Joey Ryan has been trying to get his attention and he has done just that. Snow says security has told him that Ryan is in the building and wants to give him another opportunity, so Snow calls him out to the ring. Ryan hops over the guard railing with a megaphone and enters the ring. Ryan cuts a promo as Snow tries to cut him off. Snow says he will be given another shot at Gut Check, but there will be no judges. If he wins, he wins a contract. Ryan said he already has support of 87% of the fans and wants to give Snow a opportunity to give him a contract now. Snow isn’t buying it so Ryan accepts the challenge. Snow then tells Ryan that he will be his opponent and slaps Ryan across the face. Ryan then rolls out of the ring and tells Snow that he will sue him as he can’t touch him as he isn’t an employee.

Bully Ray is meeting with Joseph Park and tells him that he isn’t there to fight but wants to know if Park has found out anything about with Aces & Eights. Park says has employee confidentiality to worry about and will be reporting his findings to Hulk Hogan and Sting. Ray then tells Park to be careful where he sticks his nose and leaves.

In another room, a security guard drops off the flapjack member of Aces & Eights as Austin Aries walks in. Aries says he is going to have some fun tonight and tells him to start talking soon. The announce team then hypes the upcoming BFG Series match as we head into a commercial break.

Hulk Hogan is backstage with the tag teams once again and wants to know why Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez deserves a shot. Chavo says they are fearless and have already beaten Kid Kash & Gunner. Robbie E. says they have been a team for three weeks as Robbie has been with Robbie T. for a year and a half. Hogan then eliminates Kid Kash & Gunner from the competition.

A video package hyping the last match of the Bound for Glory Series. Bully Ray is set to take on RVD to determine who will go on to be in the final four. Bully Ray and Rob Van Dam are both tied in fourth place with 55 points and the winner of this match goes on and the loser is eliminated.

Match 3: Bully Ray vs. Rob Van Dam
The bell rings as the fans are solidly behind RVD in this match. The two feel each other out in the opening moments as the announce team talk about Aces & Eights and not a word about the final BFG Series match. RVD finally gets things going and takes Ray down with a couple of kicks to pick up a near fall. Ray rolls out to the ring to regroup as RVD connects with a baseball slide dropkick before flipping over the top rope to take Ray out on the floor. The match returns to the ring where Ray hangs up RVD in the corner and begins to pound on RVD in the corner. RVD grabs his knee and Ray begins to exploit the injured knee.

RVD fights his way out of his predicament and takes Ray down with a series of clotheslines. RVD then hits Rolling Thunder and goes for the cover but Ray kicks out at two. RVD then flips Ray across the ring and hits a cross body block for a near fall. Ray manages to come back and levels RVD with a boot to the face but RVD kicks out of the pin attempt. Ray heads to the middle rope and misses with a corner splash and RVD comes back with a springboard kick. RVD then heads to the top rope but showboats too much before going for the Five Star Frog Splash, which allows Ray to counter with the Bully Cutter while RVD is in midair. Ray makes the cover to pick up the pin fall and earn the final spot in the BFG Series.

Austin Aries is backstage with the Aces & Eights member. Aries says he knows his name is Mike and he is from New York. Aries says Aces & Eights don’t care about him and wants to find out who is behind the group. Aries tells him to tell him what he wants to know but Mike isn’t talking. Aries grabs a pair of pliers and begins to use it on Mike’s tongue as Hulk Hogan comes in and says that’s not the way to do it. Hogan gets his mits on Mike but he is interrupted by a phone call. The VP of Aces & Eights is on the other line and Hogan tells them to send the guy who tried breaking Aries’ arm out alone tonight for a trade for Mike. Hogan says they have until the end of the show or else the deal is off.

James Storm’s music hits as he makes his way down to the ring to pick his opponent for No Surrender on Sunday. Storm says the past year has been a rollercoaster ride and how there are now three guys standing in his way of becoming the TNA World Champion once again. He invites the other three BFG Series wrestlers to come out on the stage so he can pick his opponent. Storm gives respect to Joe and Hardy before he finally chooses Bully Ray and tells him to come to the ring as he has something to say to him face to face.

Bully Ray enters the ring as Storm gets in his face and says Ray beat him last year for his chance at glory. This year, he is going to ends Ray’s chance at glory. The two then trade a few words, as do Joe and Hardy. We then see Christopher Daniels & Kazarian backstage as the announce team wonder who Hulk Hogan will pick to challenge the Tag Team Champions as we head into a commercial break.

Christy Hemme is backstage with RVD but before he can say a word he is cut off by Magnus. Magnus says RVD must be devastated and the RVD he once knew would stumble on the final hurdle. Magnus wonders if he isn’t the man he once was, which sets off RVD and the two come to blows. Al Snow and D’Lo Brown come out and finally separate the two.

Christopher Daniels & Kazarian make their way to the ring to find out who will be challenging them for the TNA Tag Team Championship. Hulk Hogan is backstage with the two remaining teams and says it’s time for Chavo and Hernandez to prove themselves as he picks their team.

Match 4: Christopher Daniels & Kazarian vs. Hernandez vs. Chavo Guerrero (TNA Tag Team Championship)
The two teams square off right as Hernandez and Guerrero make their way to the ring. The fight goes out to the floor for a moment until Hernandez roll Daniels into the ring and order is restored. Hernandez and Guerrero make quick tags back and forth and wear down Daniels as Guerrero picks up a quick near fall. Daniels is able to recover and he makes the tag to Kazarian, but Kazarian quickly finds himself in the same predicament. Kazarian finally connects with a knee on Chavo and tags in Daniels but Guerrero quickly takes them both down with dropkicks and tags Hernandez into the match. Kazarian is tagged back in and Hernandez connects with a backbreaker. Hernandez goes for a delayed suplex and Daniels enters but Guerrero runs in and takes Daniels down with the Three Amigos. We then head into a commercial break as the match continues.

We return to the match to see Guerrero is in control over Daniels, however, Kazarian hangs him up on the top rope to give Daniels an opening. Kazarian is tagged in and picks up a near fall over Guerrero before turning it over to Daniels. The tag team champs takes Guerrero down with a double team move and continue to wear him down with quick tags in and out of the ring. Guerrero finally makes a comeback and rolls over to make the hot tag to Hernandez. Hernandez powers both Daniels and Kazarian down and nearly picks up a pin fall with a sitout powerbomb but Daniels breaks it up. Kazarian and Hernandez begin to fight in the corner but Chavo comes in and pulls Kazarian down. Guerrero then gives Hernandez a hurricanrana to slam him on top of Kazarian. The referee begins the count but Daniels pulls the referee away.

The match begins to break down and Kazarian holds Chavo on the floor as Daniels tries for a split legged moonsault but Guerrero moves and Daniels connects with his partner. Hernandez then takes them both out with a dive over the top rope. Kazarian is rolled back into the ring as Daniels sends Guerrero out to the floor before distracting the referee. With the referee’s attention diverted, Daniels cracks a title belt over Hernandez’s head and Kazarian rolls him up to pick up the pin fall to retain the TNA Tag Team Championship.

After the match, Hulk Hogan’s music hits and he congratulates the champions for their win. Hogan says AJ Styles, however, can beat both of them at the same time. Hogan says he doesn’t agree but this Sunday the two of them will take on AJ Styles and Kurt Angle at No Surrender. The announce team then hype the No Surrender card and announce that a new match has just been signed between RVD and Magnus. Finally, Austin Aries is seen walking backstage with Mike as we head into a commercial break.

Austin Aries comes down to the ring with Mike and rolls him into the ring. Aries grabs a microphone and says it’s time to make a deal with Aces & Eights. Aries says he wants the man who tried to break his arm to come and out and exchange Mike and a fight this Sunday. Nobody comes out and Aries’ patience is wearing thin. Aries decides it’s time to go back to his original plan and beat the information out of Mike. Aries begins to threaten Mike and he finally agrees to talk, however, before he can, a member of Aces & Eights comes out and pulls Mike out of the ring. The masked man pulls out a hammer and knocks Mike out as Aries then flies over the ropes and takes the big man out. The two then begin to trade blows in the middle of the ring as Impact Wrestling comes to a close.

OK…I understand kayfabe, but I’m still confused on the how the whole “I don’t work here, you can’t touch me” rule works in any storyline. Al Snow (who by kayfabe is known to work for TNA) can’t touch Joey Ryan (who according to kayfabe doesn’t work for TNA), but Joey Ryan (who “apparently” doesn’t work for TNA) is allowed to jump the barrier without being stopped by security and can punch a TNA employee in the face without being stopped by security or police for that matter.
If someone doesn’t work for a company, this means they are there as a “fan”. Fans (no matter if they are trained wrestlers or not) are not allowed to punch talent in the face and are automatically chased down and held by security and arrested for assaulting a wrestling company’s employee.
To my opinion WWE/TNA needs to make these storylines work better and make them a bit more believable. Sure the marks believe it all, but the real fans know what’s going on. For all we know, a mark will try to punch a wrestler in the face and think they will automatically get a contract.